Two Boutique Studios With Distinctive Identities
Push Gaming and Hacksaw Gaming are the two boutique studios that have most rapidly gained UK market share over the last three years. Both are smaller than mainstream giants like Pragmatic Play or NetEnt — Push Gaming carries roughly 40 titles, Hacksaw approximately 60 — but both command dedicated followings among engaged slot players who actively seek out high-volatility, mechanically-distinctive games. They occupy similar positioning in the market: premium pricing on dedicated mechanics, smaller catalogues by design, and RTP positioning that competes at or above the mainstream studios.
The two studios are often discussed together because they share market positioning, but their mechanical identities are quite different. Push Gaming specialises in growing-wild and multiplier-jar mechanics with cascading reels — the visual identity is bright, chaotic, and event-driven. Hacksaw specialises in cluster pays with persistent multipliers and sticky respins — the visual identity is more cinematic, with extreme-volatility max-win events as the centrepiece. UK players choosing between them are typically choosing between two different flavours of high-engagement boutique gameplay rather than between two interchangeable alternatives.
Push Gaming: Portfolio and RTP Positioning
Push Gaming's UK catalogue centres on three flagship titles. Jammin' Jars at 96.83% theoretical is the highest-RTP Push Gaming title and one of the highest among any high-volatility cluster slot in the UK market. Razor Shark at 96.70% is the studio's nudge-and-reveal flagship with a mystery-stack feature and increasing-multiplier free spins round. Fat Rabbit at 96.45% is the growing-wild specialist where the rabbit symbol expands from 1×1 to 4×4 across consecutive cascades. The three titles together establish Push Gaming's RTP range as approximately 96.20% to 96.83% theoretical across the modern catalogue.
Push Gaming's deployment system uses variable tiers with moderate spread — the top tier is the published theoretical figure, and lower tiers typically sit 1-2 percentage points below. UK operator deployment varies but most major casinos run Push titles at the top or near-top tier. The variable system means verifying deployment at your specific casino is important, but the spread is narrower than Play'n GO's five-tier system or Pragmatic's three-tier system. The downside risk on Push Gaming titles is structurally smaller than on most mainstream provider catalogues.
Hacksaw Gaming: Portfolio and RTP Positioning
Hacksaw Gaming's UK catalogue centres on the extreme-volatility, cluster-pays template that defines the studio's identity. Wanted Dead or a Wild at 96.38% theoretical is the studio's most-played title globally and the centrepiece of its UK presence — a Western-themed slot with the VS Saloon free-spins feature where multiplier wilds persist across cascading wins. Le Bandit and Chaos Crew round out the high-end cluster catalogue, with Le Bandit pushing the max-win ceiling to 25,000x. Stick 'Em at 96.43% is the more accessible entry in the catalogue with medium-high rather than extreme volatility.
Hacksaw's RTP range across the modern catalogue is approximately 96.00% to 96.53% theoretical. The deployment system uses variable tiers with moderate spread similar to Push Gaming's structure — top tier at theoretical, lower tiers 1-2 percentage points below. The studio's distinctive feature is the volatility profile rather than the headline RTP: the bulk of returns on Hacksaw titles are concentrated in rare extreme-multiplier events during cascade chains, producing session-to-session variance well above industry norms.
RTP Comparison: Push Gaming Wins on Average
Push Gaming publishes marginally higher RTP across their top titles. Jammin' Jars at 96.83% is higher than any Hacksaw title in the UK catalogue. Razor Shark at 96.70% is higher than Wanted Dead or a Wild at 96.38%. Fat Rabbit at 96.45% sits between Hacksaw's accessible Stick 'Em (96.43%) and the studio's higher-volatility entries. On average across the flagship catalogue, Push Gaming offers approximately 0.2-0.4 percentage points more theoretical RTP than equivalent Hacksaw games.
The gap is small but consistent — and at boutique studio pricing levels it is meaningful. Over £10,000 of staked play, a 0.3pp RTP advantage represents £30 of preserved bankroll. For players choosing between studios on a like-for-like basis (high-volatility cluster slots from premium boutique studios), Push Gaming is the marginally better mathematical choice on the headline figure. The advantage holds at every comparable deployment tier because both studios use similar tier architectures.
Volatility Comparison: Hacksaw Wins on Max Win Ceiling
Hacksaw skews materially more volatile than Push Gaming. Wanted Dead or a Wild and Le Bandit push into extreme territory with max wins of 12,500x and 25,000x respectively. The cluster-and-multiplier mechanics on these titles produce drought patterns that exceed even other high-volatility games — extended sequences of unproductive spins followed by rare extreme-multiplier events. Hacksaw's positioning is explicitly built around max-win-seeking gameplay where the player accepts long droughts in exchange for occasional extreme outcomes.
Push Gaming's max wins are lower but still high by industry standards. Razor Shark at 50,000x is actually the highest in the comparison, but the underlying volatility distribution produces less extreme drought patterns than Hacksaw's most volatile titles. Jammin' Jars at 20,000x and Fat Rabbit at 5,000x sit in more conventional high-volatility territory. Players who want the absolute most extreme variance should pick Hacksaw; players who want high volatility with slightly better mathematical positioning and somewhat tamer drought risk should pick Push Gaming.
UK Availability and the Verdict
Both studios are carried by mid-to-large UK casinos but neither is universally distributed. Bet365, LeoVegas, and Wildz carry both. Some Flutter and Entain brands may not carry one or both — particularly the most extreme Hacksaw entries, which some larger UK operators have declined to integrate due to the volatility profile. Smaller operators and network casinos often carry both as part of broader catalogue depth strategies. Verify availability at your specific casino before assuming either studio is accessible.
The verdict: Push Gaming is the better mathematical choice for like-for-like comparisons because the headline RTP is marginally higher across the comparable catalogue. Hacksaw is the better choice for max-win-seekers because the ceiling is higher and the volatility is more extreme. Neither studio is strictly better — they occupy adjacent positioning with different priorities. For players whose primary objective is preserving expected value across long sessions, Push Gaming. For players whose primary objective is occasional extreme outcomes accepting the drought risk, Hacksaw. See the slot RTP ranges by provider guide for the per-provider tier architecture comparison across the wider UK provider catalogue.
Gambling can be addictive. Please play responsibly. UK players experiencing problems can self-exclude via GAMSTOP or contact GamCare.
Verify Push and Hacksaw deployment at your casino
Stay informed on UK slot RTP:
Deployed RTP changes, new slot launches, and the data UK casinos don't advertise. One email per week. Unsubscribe anytime.
Related Guides
Slot RTP Ranges by Provider
Per-provider tier architecture across the UK provider catalogue.
Read GuideBest Pragmatic Play Slots
How the boutique studios compare against the mainstream UK market leader.
Read GuideHow Casinos Change RTP
The underlying tier-deployment mechanism that affects both Push and Hacksaw titles.
Read Guide